Box forming machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for forming a box from a collapsed blank that includes four interconnected sidewalls having four alternately interconnected end flaps extending therefrom, in which each blank is folded flat with one pair of interconnected end flaps facing the other pair of interconnected end flaps in juxtaposition to one another. The box forming machine includes a magazine assembly for supporting a plurality of blanks in vertically oriented planes and includes means for successively dispensing individual blanks to the receiving end of the box forming machine. The receiving end of the box forming machine includes means for spreading the extended end flaps wherein one pair of interconnected end flaps is angularly disposed to one side of the plane of the collapsed blank and the second interconnected pair of end flaps is angularly disposed on an opposite side of the plane of the collapsed blank. Means is provided for retaining the flaps in their spread relationship while conveyor means advances the collapsed blank to an end flap folding station which includes means for folding the pair of end flaps back against their respective connected sides. The collapsed carton blank is then moved to a box opening station having means for engaging and angularly displacing one side of the collapsed blank to an open position while an adjacent interconnected side is engaged and held in a fixed position by stabilizing means. After the box has been opened, the bottom end flaps are folded upwardly to a position aligned with the bottom of the box.

United States Patent [191 Reichert BOX FORMING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Donald G. Reichert, Tarpon Springs,

Fla.

[73] Assignee: ABC Packaging Machine Corporation, Largo, Fla.

[22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 222,617

[52] US. Cl. 93/53 BF, 93/49 R [51] Int. Cl B3lb 1/76 [58] Field of Search 93/53 R, 53 BF, 49 R, 93/49 AC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,435,738 4/1969 Berney 93/53 BF 3,626,820 10/1969 Scully... 93/53 BF 3,333,514 8/1967 Jones 93/53 BF Primary Examiner-Donald R. Schran Assistant ExaminerLeon Gilden Attorney- Edward Taylor Newton et a1.

57 ABSTRACT A machine for forming a box from a collapsed blank that includes four interconnected sidewalls having four alternately interconnected end flaps extending Oct. 9, 1973 of the box forming machine. The receiving end of the box forming machine includes means for spreading the extended end flaps wherein one pair of interconnected end flaps is angularly disposed to one side of the plane Y of the collapsed blank and the second interconnected pair of end flaps is angularly disposed on an opposite side of the plane of the collapsed blank. Means is provided for retaining the flaps in their spread relationship while conveyor means advances the collapsed blank to an end flap folding station which includes means for folding the pair of end flaps back against their respective connected sides. The collapsed carton blank is then moved to a box opening station having means for engaging and angularly displacing one side of the collapsed blank to an open position while an adjacent interconnected side is engaged and held in a fixed position by stabilizing means. After the box has been opened, the bottom end flaps are folded upwardly to a position aligned with the bottom of the box.

18 Claims, 29 Drawing Figures FIG 1 PATENTEDBBT 3.763.750

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1. Apparatus for forming a box from collapsed carton blanks, wherein the collapsed carton blanks include four interconnected sidewalls with each sidewall including an end flap and wherein alternate end flaps are interconnected with each other and in which each blank is folded flat with one pair of interconnected flaps facing the other pair of interconnected flaps in juxtaposition with one another, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a frame supporting means; b. means on said frame for storing said flattened carton blanks, said storage means including power operable indexing means for effecting intermittent advancement of said stored carton blanks to serially transfer individual blanks to a Delivery position; c. means operatively associated with said storage means for dispensing one blank at a time from said storage means; d. means on said supporting frame for spreading said pairs of interconnected flaps; e. means on said supporting frame for folding said interconnected flaps back upon the outer surfaces of the sidewalls from which they respectively extend; and f. means on said supporting frame for opening a blank to form a box with said interconnected flaps folded back against said sidewalls.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said storage means is detailed in construction for supporting a plurality of flat carton blanks in vertically oriented planes with the sides thereof supported in juxtaposition to each other, and wherein said indexing means is operable in response to one carton blank being dispensed from said storage means.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said storage means includes a reciprocally operable transfer element supported above said storage means for engaging a carton blank supported in a dispensing position to effect a transfer of said carton blank to said end flap spreading means.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that said storage means includes means for sensing a carton blank moved to said aligned transfer position for controlling operation of said transfer element.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said apparatus includes a carton blank receiving means supported in vertical alignment with said transfer element, said carton blank receiving means including guide means for supporting and retaining said carton blank in a substantially vertical plane and wherein conveyor means is operatively associated with said apparatus for effecting advancement of said carton blank along a first predetermined path.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 further characterized in that said spreading means includes end flap grasping means supported adjacent opposite sides of said predetermined path, and wherein one of said end flap grasping means is cyclically movable for bending both pairs of connected end flaps toward said other end flap grasping means, said other end flap grasping means is operable for grasping and holding one pair of end flaps in angularly displaced position relative to said predetermined path, and wherein said one end flap grasping means is movable to an angularly displaced position located on opposite side of said predetermined path and is operable for grasping and holding said other pair of end flaps in angularly displaced position relative to said predetermined path whereby said alternate pairs of end flaps are separated from each other.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 further characterized in that said apparatus includes end flap retaining means, and wherein said end flap retaining means is cyclically movable to an operable retaining position for holding said end flaps in said angularly displaced position.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further characterized in that said apparatus includes means for engaging and holding said alternate interconnected end flaps in said angularly displaced separated position in response to movement of a carton blank from said separating to said end flap folding means, and wherein said end flap folding means includes reciprocally operable means for engaging and folding said alternate pair of end flaps back against said collapsed sidewalls of said carton blank, with said alternate pair of adjacent end flaps remaining interconnected.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further characterized in that conveyor means is operable for advancing said carton blank with said end flaps folded back against said sidewalls along said predetermined path to said box opening means, said box opening means includes means for grasping adjacent sidewalls of said collapsed carton blanks, and wherein one of said grasping means is movable for opening said carton blanKs to a rectangular box forming position.
 10. A box forming apparatus for setting a box from a collapsed carton blank, wherein the carton blanks include four interconnected sidewalls, with each sidewall including extending end flaps, with integrally formed interconnecting tab means alternately connected between adjacent pairs of end flaps, with one pair of interconnected end flaps facing the other pair of interconnected end flaps in juxtaposition to one another, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a. supporting frame; b. means supported on said frame for guiding a carton blank along a predetermined path from a receiving end to a discharge end; c. conveyor means operatively associated with said box forming apparatus for effecting advancement of a carton blank along said predetermined path from said receiving end to said discharge end; d. storage means supported adjacent said receiving end of said box forming machine, said storage means detailed for supporting a plurality of collapsed carton blanks in vertically oriented planes, with the sidewalls and end flaps of adjacent carton blanks supported in juxtaposition to each other, and wherein said storage means includes a blank transfer position, said transfer position being vertically aligned with said predetermined path, said storage means including indexing means for effecting serial advancement of said plurality of carton blanks toward said transfer position, and wherein said storage means includes reciprocally operable transfer means for effecting a transfer of a carton blank supported in said transfer position to said receiving end of said predetermined path; e. means supported on said frame adjacent said receiving end of said predetermined path for separating said alternate pairs of end flaps and including means for maintaining said end flaps in a separated position during advancement along said predetermined path; f. means on said frame for folding said interconnected pairs of end flaps back upon the outer surfaces of the sidewall from which they respectively extend; and, g. means on said frame for opening said collapsed carton blank into a rectangular configuration with said interconnecting flaps folded back against the sidewalls.
 11. A box forming apparatus as defined in claim 10 further characterized in that said end flap separating means is located adjacent said receiving end and includes first end flap grasping means located along one side of predetermined path and second end flap grasping means located on an opposite side of said predetermined path, and wherein one of said end flap grasping means is cyclically movable for bending both pair of end flaps toward said other end flap grasping means, with said other end flap grasping means being operable for grasping and holding one pair of end flaps moved into contact therewith, and wherein said cyclically movable end flap grasping means is operable for grasping and moving said other pair of end flaps back to an angularly displaced position on an opposite side of said predetermined path, and wherein said end flap separating means includes retaining means cyclically movable from an inoperable position spaced above said separated end flaps to a retaining position located between said separated pairs of end flaps for maintaining said end flaps in said separated position during movement along said predetermined path.
 12. A box forming apparatus as defined in claim 11 further characterized in that said means for folding said interconnected end flaps back against the sides of said collapsed carton blank includes cyclically operable means supported above said predetermined path and aligned with said end flaps in said separated condition, with said end flap folding means being moved downward against said separated end flaps for effecting a folding of said end flaps back against the sides of said collapsed carton blank, and wherein fixed guide means is operatively associated with said predetermined path for maintaining said end fLaps in said folded position against said collapsed carton sides during movement of said carton blank along said predetermined path to said box opening means.
 13. A box forming apparatus as defined in claim 12 further characterized in that said carton blank opening means includes means located adjacent one side of said predetermined path and operable for grasping and holding one side of said collapsed carton blank, said opening means including cyclically movable grasping means located adjacent an opposite side of said predetermined path, and wherein said movable grasping means is operable for engaging an adjacent side of said carton blank from said first grasping means and is cyclically movable for pivoting said second engaged side away from said first engaged side for opening said collapsed carton blank into a rectangular position.
 14. A box forming apparatus for setting up a box from a collapsed carton blank having interconnected sides with each side including an extended end flap, and wherein one pair of adjacent end flaps are interconnected by integrally formed tab means and wherein a second pair of adjacent end flaps is interconnected by integrally formed tab means, wherein said collapsed carton blank is supported with one pair of end flaps facing said second pair of end flaps and in juxtaposition thereagainst, said box forming apparatus including, in combination: a. an elongated frame support means having a cyclically operable conveyor means which defines a carton blank receiving end and a formed box discharge end; b. a carton blank guide means longitudinally aligned with the direction of movement of said conveyor means to form a predetermined path of movement of a carton blank through said box forming apparatus; c. storage means adjacent to and above said receiving end of said conveyor means, said storage means including means for supporting plurality of juxtapositioned collapsed carton blanks in vertically oriented planes, and wherein said storage means includes a blank transfer position vertically aligned with and supported above said predetermined path, said blank storage means includes means for effecting a transfer of a carton blank supported in a transfer position to said predetermined path in response to a controlled cycle of movement of said conveyor means, said blank storage means including indexing means for advancing said plurality of blanks toward said transfer position to effect serial movement of the next adjacent carton blanks to said transfer position, and wherein said storage means includes means for sensing movement of said next blank to said aligned transfer position; d. means supported adjacent said receiving end of said predetermined path for separating said interconnected end flaps and for maintaining said separated end flaps in angularly displaced positions on opposite sides of said predetermined path; e. means on said conveyor means for effecting movement of a carton blank along said predetermined path; f. means supported adjacent said predetermined path for folding said end flaps back against the outer surfaces of said carton blank sides, and wherein said end flap folding means includes means for maintaining said end flaps in said folded position in response to movement of said blank along said predetermined path; g. means supported adjacent said predetermined path for grasping two adjacent sides of said collapsed carton blank, with one grasping means operable for maintaining one side of said blank in an aligned position with said predetermined path and with said second grasping means being movable for angularly displacing said adjacent side through an angle of substantially ninety degrees to form said carton blank into a rectangular box.
 15. Apparatus for forming a box from a collapsed carton blank, wherein the collapsed carton blank includes four interconnected sidewalls with each sidewall including an end flap and wherein alternate end flaps are interconnected to each other and in which eacH blank is folded flat with one pair of interconnected flaps facing the other pair of interconnected flaps in juxtaposition with one another, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a. means operatively associated with said apparatus for holding both pairs of interconnected flaps in a first direction angularly displaced from the plane of said carton blank; b. means for engaging and holding one interconnected pair of end flaps in angularly displaced relationship on one side of said plane; c. means for folding said other interconnected pair of flaps to a position angularly disposed on an opposite side of said plane; and, d. means for advancing said collapsed carton blanks with said interconnected pairs of end flaps folded in angularly disposed relationship on opposite sides of said common plane along a predetermined path.
 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 further characterized in that said interconnected pairs of end flaps are maintained in a common plane relative to each other during folding movement to said angularly displaced positions.
 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 further characterized in that said apparatus includes means for folding said interconnected flaps back upon the outer surface of the sidewalls from which they respectively extend, and wherein said folding means includes means for maintaining said interconnected flaps in a common plane during folding movement against the outer surface of said sidewalls.
 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 further characterized in that said apparatus includes means for opening a collapsed carton blank for forming a box with said interconnected flaps folded back against said sidewalls. 